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What did it
take for you to get into this character?
Mechad Brooks: The most
difficult part would be, trying to put
yourself in the mind state of the social
and racial climate of the 60s, which I’m
not used to cause I grew up in the 80s
and 90s. But, it’s something that you
really have to go in a dark place for,
going to work everyday like that. But
luckily, they yell cut and we can go
back to ’04, ’05; but there is no cut
for the real players. So, it was our
obligation really. So no matter how hard
it was where 2000 people were yelling
the N word or whatever the case was…you
have to understand that somebody
actually went through that and your just
emulating walking a mile and it
sucks…so…
When you went
to basketball camp was it hard for you
to adjust to the shoes?
Mechad Brooks: Basketball
camp is a euphemism for the seventh
circle of hell. This was ridiculous.
This was not even human. I mean, I have
a new found respect for athletes. We
worked so hard. I thought we were
shooting Chariots of Fire II. Tim Floyd
who is an incredible coach and also a
slave driver…he really got us into
basketball shape. And really we are
happy about that cause the basketball
scenes look amazing, if you ask me. If I
could judge that. It was worth it to
tell you the truth. It was like camp
WD40…you get the rust off you. The
hardest part was learning how to play
1965 style.
In the film,
there were things that your character
got kicked out the game for but then
everybody did it. Why is that?
Mechad Brooks: Cause the
games changed. You can hang on the rim
if there’s danger under you. Now if the
referee is going to call on you, it’s
his discretion whether or not to call
that technical on you.
Can you
continue to explain the differences in
the 1965 style of ball playing as oppose
to today?
Mechad Brooks: For
instance…when you pass the ball, your
thumbs have to be up. You’re always in a
triple threat position. You never cross
your feet, because all the times, guys
like to do defensive running, but
there’s no side step. You have to run to
the defensive position. It’s really
tiring to play 1965 style. And these
ski’s they call Chuck Taylor’? It’s like
Glory Road on ice. You’re running around
in some Victoria Secret short shorts.
The secret is, don’t put men in shorts
that short.
So, your on
‘Desperate Housewives’ and your mom is
played by Alfre Woodard. What’s the
difference between preparing for TV
verses a Feature Film like this?
Mechad Brooks: Preparing for
TV is different because there is no
preparation. We get the scripts a couple
of days in advance and that changes 75
times in the next two days. You’ll get
new scripts sometimes twice that day
you’re working. And sometimes you have
very little or no preparation. It’s an
interesting way of working. I wouldn’t
say ones better than the other; I would
just say it’s different.
For this role,
you were already an athlete; you just
had to conform to 1965 styles of
playing. But how did you prepare for the
racially charged scenes in this film?
Mechad Brooks: I tried to
talk to as many people who were in the
Civil Rights struggle as much as
possible. My father is a civil attorney
and he kind of specializes in Civil
Rights. I watched a lot of documentaries
and I looked at pictures. One picture
that sticks out in my mind and kind of
gives you goose bumps, even actually
till today is at the Memphis Garbage
strike. And there’s this guy holding up
a sign that says ‘I AM a Man’. A 65 year
old gentleman. And I never saw this
picture before. But it brought me to
tears the first time I looked at it. And
I’m just thinking to myself, what the
hell kind of world did you live in that
he had to go home and write, ‘I AM a
Man’. It’s a society that does not
reciprocate your existence as a law
abiding, tax paying citizen. Or even as
a human being who’s been through certain
experiences. Everyday you wake up, I’m
gonna treat you like shit. Just like a
boy, no matter how old you are or what
you been through. Or what your character
deserves. Kiss my ass! And you’re just
like Oh My God.
Has racism
changed that much?
Mechad Brooks: Yeah. Racism
has changed. We’ve made some strides.
But not enough. Racism doesn’t die it
just recycles into something else. For
instance, this country always likes to
have a scapegoat. Now, we have made
strides within the African American
community with racism but now you find a
lot of people who look at Muslims’ and
say terrorist. You know, right of the
bat…and that’s not right either. I think
that when you look at this film and not
seeing black people being able to play
basketball, in large numbers 40 years
ago, that’s ridiculous.
Hard to believe
huh?
Mechad Brooks: Yeah. Cause if
you look at the racial make up of NBA or
college today, it’s all integrated if
not predominantly black. Now, I can’t
wait for the day till we say its’
ridiculous that we can look at anyone
and think we can read them like a book.
That’s just naïve.
Did you get to
talk to a lot of the counterparts that
actually lived this story?
Mechad Brooks: Yeah. I got to
talk to all the players; David Lattin
and Nevil Shed before we shot and
everybody else after we shot. Harry
Flournoy came up to me and said, you
were an amazing me. And I thank you for
that. And as an actor, that’s all you
can ask for.
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